“When does bad weather stop?” This is the question that occurs to many French, in search of a sunbeam. And for a good reason: the sun rate was extremely low in 2024, with a deficit of around 10%, Météo-France announced on January 7. And the cloud cover at the beginning of the year does not help.
Lack of mood, lack of energy … This reduction in natural light is not exempt from consequences in our morals and our physical. Our vitamin production, which influences our immune function and regulation of mood, is completely disturbed. In this case: how to compensate for the lack of sun? BFMTV.com lists some tips to apply daily.
• Adapt your diet
To avoid vitamin D deficiencies, we can first bet on fish such as salmon or even sardines. Enriching dairy products, some mushrooms, eggs and meat also bring their part of vitamin D. Good news: black chocolate also includes moderation.
The helmet fruits are also his friends during this cloudy period. Nuts, hazelnut almonds: They contain minerals, fatty acids, carbohydrates and proteins.
INSERM (Public Medical Research Institute) also advises drug supplementation to avoid deficiencies. But be careful with food supplements that exclude the medical recipe, being careful not to have excessive supplements.
For a good amount of vitamin D in the body, the New York Times recommends, through a report by the Institute of Medicine, consume 600 IU (international units) of vitamin D per day for adults, and 800 IU for people over 70 years, assuming a minimal exposure to the sun.
• Keep physical activity
By practicing regular physical activity, cortisol production in the morning helps your body better regulate its circadian cycle (natural clock). In addition, exercise promotes the release of endorphins, thus improving mood and reducing the effects of fall fatigue.
Keep in mind that “any amount of physical activity is better than anyone”, specifies in a report of who (the World Health Organization) about physical activity and sedentary lifestyle. As a reminder, WHO suggests making 8,800 steps per day to stay healthy.
• Put on light therapy
Another idea in Vogue: Light therapy. This form of treatment allows to replace the sun with an artificial light source to stimulate the brain. By exposing the eyes to a light therapy lamp, the body regulates melatonin production, sleep hormone. Melatonin “increases at the end of the day, when the light falls,” according to Inserm. This explains the energy deficit that the lack of sun can cause.
Dr. Faïza Bossy, a general doctor in Paris, had delivered some BFMTV tips to deal with the lack of light. She recommended light therapy sessions in September and finish them in spring. It would be necessary to expose a meter of this light with a power of 10,000 “every day” of Lux, at least 30 minutes.
Dimol: The price. A light therapy session costs an average of between 15 and 40 euros depending on the practitioner. There are several light therapy instruments, such as lamps or vessels, with prices that range between 20 euros and 300 euros.
• Keep social ties
In winter until the early spring, the desire to stay at home intensified according to psychiatrist David Masson. Questioned by BFMTV.com, the expert encourages to continue seeing their loved ones, even when the weather does not lend itself to the trip.
“When the light is weak, our mood can vary greatly. See people and an effective protection factor to fight winter depression,” said David Masson.
Waiting for sunny days, the French will be able to take advantage of some clearings this Wednesday in accordance with the forecasts of Météo France. Temperatures must be softer during the next weekend, with the exception of the north and east of France.
Source: BFM TV
